Rutland Water Fish week 520 (Season 7,289) Returns 228 (1,807) Rod average 2.28 (4.03)Rutland Water at its best! Fish are now really switched on with a number of limits taken by both bank and boat anglers. Rudder anglers have taken a number of limits from the Main Basin. These fish are feeding on the plentiful amount of daphnia in the open water. Di5 and Di7 have been the most consistent lines for the rudder boats. These fish have also been successfully targeted by fishing loch style with blobs and boobies on Di7 lines.

The buzzers continue to hatch and good sized buzzers have been a feature in many of the fish taken this week. Boat anglers have also had success fishing buzzers, diawl bachs and damsels either drifting or anchoring during strong winds. A long leader and a very slow retrieve has been essential to fish the water column as the fish migrate up and down in the water depending on what stage the hatch is in. Bank anglers are now enjoying buzzer sport from the bank with lures scoring on those windy days when presentation is difficult.

Regular Rutland visitor John Slavin, who lives in Scotland, enjoyed a fish filled holiday recording limits on numerous days and on different methods. John employed the rudder to great effect on the breezy days with him and boat partner Al Owen enjoying quality sport from fighting fit silver Rainbows. He also took numbers of fish loch style using combinations of blobs, nymphs and buzzers when conditions allowed.

Competition news

Rutland Water Fly Fishers Wadham Trophy Bank Match

Last Friday evening 20 members fished this three and a half hour bank match on a mild overcast evening with a light to moderate south westerly wind. Anglers were rewarded with possibly the best bank fishing so far this season. Fish were caught widely and averaged over 2lb. Normanton Blue Pipes down to the Dam was the most productive area with the two best catches coming from here. Phil Brown and Steve Crowder took their limits quickly. The water is now lovely and clear with the previous brown algal bloom having dispersed. This improvement in conditions resulted in one of the best results for this match for some years.

John Wadham says “The winner was Phil Brown who took his fish on the buzzer fished two feet down. Steve Crowder and Dan Perks shared first prize for the best fish; two perfect overwintered specimens, both weighing 3lb 1oz. Prospects look very good for the future with plenty of uncaught stock to come. Our thanks to Ranger Nigel Savage for staying well after hours to see us off the site at 2240 hours.”

Anglian Water Rudder Match 16 May

On Saturday 16 May anglers competed in the second leg of the rudder series in a good rudder wind from the NNW. This was a successful match with a rod average of 5.8. Martin Hearth and Jim Watts took first place with 16 fish for 35lb 6oz. Second place fell to Alan Taylor and Jamie Frisby with 16 fish for 32lb 15oz. Third spot went to Roy Bartrum and Chris Binley with 13 fish for 29lb 5oz.

Best fish prizes on the day went to Matt Bedford with super overwintered Rainbow of 3lb 7oz. Steve Crowder weighed in a real specimen Brown that tipped the scales round to 6lb 5oz.

Grafham Water has fished well over the past week with an excellent rod average of 5.13.

The boat anglers have enjoyed the best of the sport with plenty of bag limits despite the testing weather conditions. There have been two main boat methods use either sink tip lines with 14-16 foot leaders with black or olive buzzers fished almost static or alternatively use Di8 lines with boobies and blobs fished slowly with most of the takes coming on the lift. The best boat areas have been Valley Creek, Hedge End, Pylon and Deep Water Points, Willows and the Seat.

Bank anglers have found the fishing a lot better this week with the Harbour Arms, Gaynes Cove and the Seat producing the most consistent fishing. The most productive method for the bank anglers has been to fish floating or sink tip lines with damsel nymphs, GRHE’s and diawl bachs with a very slow retrieve.

Important information for all anglers

There are new restrictions around the Dam Tower. These are marked by buoys. Please do not fish or anchor beyond the buoys, there are underwater pipes and equipment which need to be protected.

Beginners courses 24 & 28 May;6,18,21, & 27 June and other dates throughout the season.

Lexus Team Heat 18 May

Angling Trust Team England Youth Loch Style National 24 May.

International Fly Fishing Association Ladies Loch Style Home International 1 – 4 June

Pitsford Water

Fish week 689 (Season 2,937) Returns 95(732) Rod average 7.25 (4.1)

It’s been another fantastic week for trout fishing at Pitsford Water with the rod average at an incredible 7.25.

The buzzer hatches continued even when we had strong winds on Monday and Tuesday and the fish remained ‘on the feed’.

There have been many notable catches. Messrs Cummings, Cram, Gibbons, Bryce and Ramsay – on holiday from Scotland – had an average of 30 fish each. Peter Dawes and David Dyble were on a boat handling course with Peter Hartley when they had six fish including a Rainbow of 6lb which was returned. Bob Collins had a Rainbow of 5lb.

On Wednesday the Eastern Region Police FF held a qualifier. 32 Anglers caught 213 fish for a rod average of 6.5.

Congratulations to Leicestershire Police who were top team on the day and have qualified for the National Final. The top two individual places went to Mark Mathieson from Northants and Andy Ross from Leics.

Fish are coming from all areas with both boat and bank fishing well. Best methods are floating lines and teams of buzzers or diawl bachs.

From 16 May anglers will be able to fly fish for predators from the boat. We have a 10% introductory offer on our range of Savage Tackle with Savage rods available to try. There will also be demonstrations of fish tracking equipment on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May.

On the second Saturday of each month Pitsford Water will be hosting fly tying tuition, casting coaching and general fishing advice. Call the fishing lodge on 01604 781350 for more information.

Forthcoming events Pitsford Summer Fishing Club Join us at our weekly fly fishing club for an evening of boat fishing from 5.30pm until dusk every Tuesday evening from 12 May to 11 August. All anglers are extremely welcome, especially beginners.Beginners courses 29 May; 7 & 19 June and other dates throughout the season.

Anglian Water Rudder Match 23 May.

Second Saturday of each month Pitsford will be offering fly tying tuition, casting coaching and general fishing advice. Call the fishing lodge on 01604 781350 for more information.

Best methods have been floating or intermediate lines with buzzers or diawl bachs fished slowly. On windy days a slow sink line with black and green lures or blobs has worked.

Jobe Burnham enjoyed a fantastic day this week. He caught and released 15 fish. The best weighed 7lb and was followed up by one at 4½lb on the next cast.

The Dam is the best place for bank anglers with the fish quite close in. Buzzers or diawl bachs and lures are worth trying.

The Thursday evening boat fishing club is now under way, starting at 6pm. Ravensthorpe regular Mick Griffin was top rod this week, catching 4 fish for 10lb 8oz, John Smith came second with one fish for 21lb 8oz.